What Could Have Been
by dom365
Summary: One choice by a man can effect the lives of many. Choosing one twin to be the boy-who-lived and ignoring the other, for example. Typical non-BWL story. Grey!Harry Smart!Harry Independent!Harry.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

It was a stormy night. Not the kind of storm that makes you grab a hot chocolate and huddle by the fire. Or the kind that makes you want to reminisce of times past. Nor was it a storm that somehow brings a state of tranquillity to the passive spectator.

It was the kind of storm that made babies cry and families huddle in fear.

On this night a pale man strode towards Godric's Hollow, towards the Potter's Cottage. He strode with a purpose and killing intent in his eyes. The wards of the Cottage hissed and glowed as the man approached the quaint looking building. The wards soon vanished with a quick flick of his wand. Making his way up the winding path a wooden door stood in his way; the font door of Potter Cottage.

The door blew open, flying of the rusty hinges with enough force to alert the whole household to his presence. Fortunately the residents were missing, only an unlucky babysitter who took the wrong job at the wrong place at the wrong time was there, looking after the children of said residents.

She was dead in seconds.

The mysterious man ascended the stairs with his dark cloak billowing behind him, coming to a stop in front of a nondescript door. Inside the room two cots stood side by side with names etched on the end of each one. The left hand cot held a pudgy looking boy with a short tuft of red hair, he was sleeping soundly despite the danger approaching. The name _Daniel Potter_ stood out on the cot in cursive writing, seeming to glow in the dark room.

In the right hand cot a slim looking boy with messy black hair sat, his piercing green eyes watching the door with an alertness that doesn't belong on the face of one so young. The door swung open and in stepped the pale man. The floorboards creaked as the man approached the cots, with an expression of elation imprinted on his normally blank face.

His blood-red eyes met ice-green and time seemed to stop, a battle of wills in its most primal form was taking place. The young child refusing to back down in his youthful ignorance and the man becoming more infuriated by the second at the calmness and serenity shown in the eyes of the child.

Red eyes darted away as they looked over the other baby, an expression of disdain flitted across his face before his gaze returned to the enigma that was the green eyed child.

The man could take it no more and so his wand was raised. Pointing firmly without hesitation at the infants chest, yet still the eyes looked at him, unwavering, unyielding. In an almost imperceivable movement the child rose towards the wand, almost begging for the wooden tip to touch his chest.

Red eyes widened in surprise before quickly narrowing. The pale man's mouth opened ready to utter the words that ended the lives of so many.

 _Advarda Kedavra_

A beam of light hit the boys chest and in that fraction of a second the infants eyes glowed with the eerie green of the killing curse. And the light shown back and hit the stunned man, causing him to scream as he fell into nothingness and was no more.

The resulting explosion destroyed the Potter's Cottage and caused the red-haired boy to awaken. He cried loudly as pieces of debris fell around, a sharp piece cutting a deep x-shaped gash across one of his brown eyes.

Suddenly people were rushing in, the parents and a certain Albus Dumbledore among them, having been alerted by the failing wards that the house was under siege. Dumbledore quickly took in all his surrounding, including the black robe crumbled on the floor and the crying child.

He made a split second decision.

Raising young Daniel out of his cot with a simple levitation charm, he proudly declared to all who listened:

'Meet Daniel Potter, the boy-who-lived'

Everyone gasped and revered the young child, yet none seemed to notice the baby slumbering right by them. The one with messy black hair that fell over a lightening-shaped scar. The one which had _Harry Potter_ etched into the end of his cot.


	2. Chapter 1

**- _Just in case you were wondering, I don't own Harry Potter-_**

 **Chapter 1**

-15 years later-

The boy-who-lived's brother sat at the Slytherin table, watching his brother and parents eat at the Gryffindor table with eagle eyes. He didn't miss a detail, when they laughed, when they spoke, he saw it all. He imagined what could have been had the headmaster not entered into the Potter's lives. He imagined a world where HE was the golden boy. Where HE was adored by many. Where HE had a family that doted on him. He thought back to when he realised that his parents would be coming to Hogwarts.

 _'Daniel Potter' Dumbledore read out with a small frown on his face as he squinted at the scrap of paper in his hand. All heads in the hall quickly spun to stare at the boy in_ _question. He had a look of surprise on his face, and though he'll always deny it, everyone in the hall saw the hint of fear present. These feelings were quickly covered up as he rose to his feet, immediately ready to join the other champions. He slipped past Dumbledore as the hall erupted with whispers._

 _Before quickly disappearing, to no doubt join Daniel in the back room, he spoke out over the steadily growing volume in the hall. 'I expect everyone to be on best behaviour for the duration of the Triwizard Tournament. For not only will various celebrities be dipping in and out of the school to watch the tasks, but also all the families of the champions have been invited to stay at Hogwarts for the whole school year. Good night.'_

This train of thought was quickly brought to a close at the incessant little red-headed girl next to him repeatedly poked his right arm.

'Harry. Harry. Harry.'

'What do you want now?' Harry exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

The small girl pouted unhappily at his exclamation.

'Nevermind' she declared unhappily.

Harry sighed. 'I'm sorry Abi. You know how seeing them all together is a pain'

Abigail Potter resolutely ignored him.

'I tell you what' Harry whispered 'If you forgive me I'll take you on a guided tour of the _whole_ castle.'

Abi looked at him hopefully

'All of it?' she asked in hushed tone

'Even the secret passageways' he replied

The little girl could no longer keep her excitement contained and started to bounce on her seat.

'Let's go. Hurry up. Finish your food.' She fired at him in quick succession.

'Alright. Okay. Go ask your parents and see if you're allowed to come with me.' He ordered

She started to get up in a bit of huff, but went off nonetheless. Muttering about _injustice, I'm not a baby_ and _They're your parents too_ as she wandered briskly over to the Gryffindor table.

Harry shook his head in amusement as he watched her walk off, only to be interrupted by the girl opposite him.

'So that's your sister, huh? I never expected her to be so...bubbly, you know since she's related to you, the coldest person in Hogwarts'

' Ha Ha. Very funny Daphne. Besides, everyone knows you're the Ice Queen of Hogwarts, not me.' Harry replied

'Indeed I am _and_ I'm proud of it. Do you know how hard it was to earn this title? That Davies girl gave me a run for my money' Daphne Greengrass said with a smirk

The girl next to her spun round, ditching her previous conversation, with enough force to give most people severe whiplash.

'Oh shut up Daph, you know that crown should be mine. I deserve it, I've never let my mask slip in public since we got sorted in first year...Unlike a certain someone who gets starry-eyed everytime Harry comes over' Tracey Davies spouted out in a stream of words before suddenly coming to a stop.

Both girls looked at each other for a second as what Davies said sunk in. A slight blush stained Daphne's cheeks.

Harry raised an eyebrow before slowly standing up.

'I'm going to go show my sister round the school. Please don't kill each other' He said before hastily walking over, away from the two girls, to where his sister was standing waiting impatiently for him.

Both girls dismissively muttered good bye, before quickly returning to a glaring stand-off.

-xx-

'So that's about it I think. Did you like the very amazing and fabulous tour?' Harry asked in very obviously fake pompous tone.

He was met with silence from the redhead on his back.

'Hello? Helloooo? Anyone there?' But it was a lost cause as the notoriously heavy sleeper in the Potter household had fallen into a deep slumber on his back.

'Great' Harry muttered to himself 'Now where do I go'

He was saved from wandering aimlessly around the castle by none other than Lily Potter herself.

'There you are angel. I was so worried, I looked everywhere for you. I didn't realise how late you were going to be when you said you were getting a tour of the castle' She exclaimed while rushing towards them, before coming to an abrupt halt as she met the cold green eyes of her elder son.

'Oh, Hi Harry' She said dumbly

He just continued staring at her with a blank expression on his face.

'Sorry, I didn't know you were with Rose'

He didn't say a word.

'I'll just take her and bring her back to our suite then' She said hesitantly as she reached out to grab her.

'I don't think she's going to get off anytime soon' He declared in a quiet voice.

Lily scoffed 'She is my daughter you know, I think she'd be quite happy to be with me instead'

Lily again reached out to grab Abi, but as Lily started to pry her off she began to cling closer to Harry's back, mumbling nothings that sounded suspiciously like _wanna stay with Harry._ Lily frowned in surprise before letting go of Abi.

'Guess you were right, you're going to have to come and bring her back to out suite' She said before giving Harry a funny look and turning to walk down the corridor.

'I don't have much of a choice now, do I?' Harry whispered to the unresponsive girl on his back.

He gave an inaudible sigh, shutting his eyes for a second, before quickly snapping them open as he started to follow his mother.


End file.
